Method of producing raw-water can-ice.



I G. M. KLEUCKER. METHOD OF PRODUCING WATER CAN ICE.

APPLICATION me LY 7. 1915.

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Patented J 3 SHEE a. M. K LEU-CKER. METHOD OF PRODUCING RAW WATER CAN ICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7. I915.

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I APPLICATION FILED JULY 7. 1915. LQM M L Patented Jan. 22,191&

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GEURGJE MIKLEUCKER, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

specification of Letters ]Patent.

METHOD PRODUCING RAW-WATER CAN-ICE.

Application filed July 7, 1915. Serial No. 38,448.

To all who), it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnomes M. K lnucmna, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of St. Louis. State pf Missouri,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of-Produc1ng Raw-.

Water an-Ice, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates as suggested by thetitle to the production of what is termed artificial ice from raw water; raw water being understood to indicate water that has not been distilled and that may contain impurities which under ol'dinarymethods of operation makeit difficult as a base from thin ice may be produced.

In the past it-.has been customary to utilize a can the shape and size: of which determines the shape and size of the finished iceblock.

When raw water is used'under present existing conditions air is forced into and near the bottom of the liquid content of the can and, bubbling upward, carries with it the impurities, in the water. It has not been found diflicult to produce a clear shell in the ice pan as the impurities have been found to remain in suspension in the agitated water, but it has been necessary before the completion of the block tosdraw off the water contained in center of the block, wash out the core, substitute for the unclean Water distilled water to be'used in the final stage of freezing for and completing the iceblock. It wasalso found necessary to slowly withdraw the air pipe and to watch carefully that this pipe did not/become frozen in the completed block of ice. It is obvious that such a system requires much attention, but as it has been found quite satisfactory I do not describe it purely for the purpose of filling the core,

criticising, but only setit forth believing that by comparison the principles and advantages of my method maybe more fully.

understood and more readily appreciated.

In my method air is not forced into the Water but I provide instead an ingenious means for forcing water into the water in the can and thereby preventthe formation of air needles.

I do not utilize a pipe or other mechanical device in a position that would allow them. to become frozen in the block. My agitating means is above the freezingline in the L member, the section the core formed in the can and in addition to this advantage I make it unnecessary for the removal of the water from the core of the block and the substitution of distilled water therein, as

construction of the device which is well.

adapted to accomplish the desirable results.

The gnethod and mechanisms will be fully described as the specification progresses.

The following is what I consider the best means of carrying out this invention and the accompanying drawings form a part of this specification in which Figure 1 is a, sectional view of a plurality of cans with certain of my mechanisms shown in elevation in relation thereto.

Fig. 2 on a slightly larger scale is a sectional View taken at right angles to Fig. 1, and shows a pluralityof eanswherein is indicated the operation of certain of my devices.

Fig. 3 is a back elevation of the rotating disk of my valve member.

vFig. 4:v is a sectional view of my valve being taken on an irregular line so that certain portions are shown in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a back elevation of the valve member. 1

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on a large scale of one of the receptaclesused in a can.

Similar reference'numerals indicate like parts in all of the figures where they appear.

In thedescription of my invention and in the drawings I will refer to the different steps of the operation of forming ice without an attempt to indicate the exact comparative conditions. I take this liberty for the sole purpose of making the description more concise and the. drawings less numerous.

i My method has to do with the formation of ice in receptacles usually called cans. I have shown a number of such cans in the drawings and I indicatethese cans at 1, 2,

arrangement that I havcadopted though I Patented Jan. 22, iltl il p v I "65 At 26 l'have indicated a device that I re may-desire that the cansIntilized with my method should be slightly longer than the ordinary cans for a purpose thatshallfully appear. Atank of ordinary-well understood construction is provided and in this tank I j arrange cooling-coils submerged in brine. I have not shown the coils but have indicated the brine at 11. i rv l0- Across the tank and arranged between pairs of cans is .anairpipe 12 intermittently under a pressure obtained from .a reservoir or compressor 13, and through the pipe 39 and through the perforation 34in the valve 15. disk 33. The pressure of air desirable in. my method I-have found to be about five to six pounds. 1 Bet'ween'each pair of cans and arranged .upona suitablesupport 14 is ,aiitting 15 provided with a nipple. 16. The nipple is really a portion of an automatic valve to which I make no claim in this application.

[ Upon the nipple 16 I arrange,a block or fitting 17 provided with branch pipes 18 and 2b 19, and when the fitting or block 17 is in po- 19 enters and a further opening 21 at the bottom. Within thefchamber '20 I arrange a tubue lar screen; member 22, and in the tube 22 a ball 23 will be noted. The ball 23 may be of wood or a hollow metal ball. I desire thatits specific gravity should be such that it 'will float in water. p It, will be noted that the lowerend of the pipe 18 shown in Fig. .6 is closed as in- (1 dicated at 24 but that adjacent to the lower 1 .end .of the pipe I arrange a plurality of transverse perforations indicated at 25. 7 It .will also be noted that the perforation 21 in the chambert20 is tapered. This ta-v MB per provides a seat for the'ball 23and serv' mg with'the ball'forms a valve for a purpose that. shall be fullydescribed. r

c, I desireto call attention to the fact that I provide a chamber 20 for each of the cans ,55 and that in each of the cans the chamber is constantly submergedbelow the surface of the water contained in the can. I also desire to call'attention to the fact thatfthe waterline inthe can is higher-than the top sur- Y 60. face of the brine surrounding'the can, and the I .,difierence in theseliquid levels about equals the height of the1chamber 20, although. durj ing the o erationthe water level in the can 1 is change in a manner to be described.

, for an entire ice-making plant.-

' Itwill be noted that I have provided lo- 1 her. not be fitted with a short length of pipe 41,

fer to as a valve member. It will be noted that this member is connected in the air supply line between the source of supply and the point of delivery to the cans. I may provide a Valve member 26 for each double row of cans as indicated in Fi' 1, or I may pro vide one valve member 0 greater capacity The valve member is shown in Fig. 1 where 27 indicates a worm gear driven by means of a rotating worm 28. In Fig. 4a sprocket '27 is substituted for the worm gear 27 and is secured on a shaft 29 which passes through the front plate 30 and the back plate3l of the valve member. These plates with the annular flange 32, shown as formed integral with the plate .30, comprise the casing of the valve.

Arranged within the valve casing and secured to and rotatable with the shaft 29 is the disk 33 shown in elevation in Fig. '3.

This diskhas'a through perforation 34 and a semicircular recess in itS back face as indicated at 35.

eating screws 36 and 37 in the valve casing anda spring 38 .upon the .shaft 29; the spring serves to retain a close contact or eng geinen't between the disk or. valve surfaces and the casing.

At 39 I show a pipeentering the valve member from the source of airsupply, and 12 indicates the pipe throughwhich the air is delivered to the proximity of the several ice cans. I desire to call attention to the perforation 4L0 shown in Fig. 5 as entering through the back plate 31 of the valve mem- This'perforation, which may or may should be open to the atmosphere and must be in the line of travel of the recess 35.

Thus far I have described the mechanisms that-I have found necessary or convenient forthe operation of my method. I will now describe the method of'operation referring wherever necessary .to the numerals by which the several parts are indicated. v1

Referring to Fig. 2, 1 show. a plurality of cans filled'with a desirable quantity of ordinary undistilled raw water, each can sur- '115 rounded with brine the caloric or which is reduced by, ammonia in the ordinary manner, or by any other known means. 5 To obtaina rapid and proper formation of ice within the several cans it is desirable that the water contained therein be agitated. I have found that it is not necessary that the agitation be continuous but that a series of impulsive agitations, spaced short periods apart, will serve exceedingl well. I obtain these impulsive agitations 1n the followmg manner: The valve member 33 which is constantly rotated closes the passage from the pipe 39 ,to'the pipe 12 and soon thereafter opens thepipe 12 to the atmosphere by passe wlth the air pipe 39, and the eeann ing. the recess 35 over the end of the pipe 12 andthe 'perfori'ition 40. thus connecting the two. This motion of the valve'will allow a portion of the 3' lated from the main body of water in the can and enter the chambers 20; the chambers will heconie'full and the water line in the cans will be lowered. By the time the chamhers have filled, the perforation 3-1 assumes the position shown in Fig. 4 opening the passage between the pipes 12 and 39; the inrush of air into the pipe 12, and thus through the branch pipes 18 and 19, will force the water through the opening 21 out of the chambers and the pressure is sufiicient to force the water ,now under pressure to the-bottom of its respective can.

When the water has left'the chamber the hall valve23 will be seated and the'air in the. I 20 chamber or the air supply from the pipe 12 cannot be uselessly discharged into the can. About this time the recess 35 of the valve memberv again opens the pipe 12 to the atnuisphere', and the air blows out of all'th 25 pipes and all the chambers. The chambers are submerged and water will flow in and fill them replacing all the a1r which escapes,

through pipes 18, 19, "the pipe 12,. recess and perforation 40, andwhen the chambers 80 are again filled with water they are -discharged in the mannerlindicated; thus it will be seen that in'the continuous operation of my method I obtain a plurality of water discharges or impulses accompanied byan 3% equal number of stops. at which time the water re'e'nters the chambers 20. v

It is well known that'air cannot be forced into a receptacle containing waterwith any assurance of'the ag1tat1on of the 1 1qu1d con- W tained in the said receptacle unless the air be entered in saidreceptacle at a lowpoint'; but in my method the air is used merel-yas a piston through the medium of which water is forced into water accomplishin an 415 agitation found in every instance sufiiclnt. In Fig. 2 the chambers indicated at 20 and 20 are shown as filled with water and the water linein the cans 5 and 6 is at-a The recess 35 of thevalve-33- low level.

M which has been passing over the end of the pipe 12 and the perforation 4O is-timed so as to leave the pipe 12 when the chambers 20 and 22 become filled with water.

The chambers in its downwardand upward travel; the

perforation 34: is now connecting the pipe 12 air is forcing the water out of the chambers 20 and 20.

The chamber 20 is entirely empty, the water level in the ice can 4 is at its highest point and the chamberis ready to again at receive a portion of the water in thecan,

water in thezcans 'to'be iso-,

'tainly not greater than the and let the alternate suction and 20 and 20 are being discharged, the waterlevel in the ice cans 7 and quired for the ice to, be

by reason of the passage of the perforation .34 away from the pipe 39, and the movement of the recess 35 over the pipe 12 and the perforation 10 which opens the chamber 20 to the atmosphere and allows the'cwater to In connection with .my method certain advantages are apparent. First, it. is not necessary that the device used in my method or the ice cans, should receive constantattention. The chambers 20 being above the brine or freezing line, cannot become frozen in the ice block.

No core is formed in the ice in my method, for although'the center freezes more slowly than theedges, as in all methods, the circulation continues until the ice block is com? pleted, and all impurities, whether in suspension or solution, will be carried upward intothe non-freezing zone in the can leaving the ice block clean and transparent.

I may find itadvantageous to reduce the pressure of the air during the later steps of the freezing so that the agitation of the water will not be so great as to produce teo large a final cavity or cup; thus far, however, I .have not found thisnecessary. at

All the impurities in the water, are, by the a itation, forced to the top, and when the bhack is com leted the water remaining on the top may 4 e dum ed, but]: refer that it should be drawn o'fl to' be used ing the fresh stipply'gof water to-be furnishedin the making ofthe ice. If, however, this small amount of water should be thrown away the loss resulting therefrom will be found to be exceedingly. sl-i ht, cer- 1% loss w ich accompanies the withdrawing of the core water in other methods of. operation.

I do not confine myself to the shape of I the chambers 20 as shown. I may make or any other suitable shape. v

Nor, do licorifine myself to the particular valve as shown for'reg'ulating the supply of air. I may use the equivalent .of. an angle 15 cock or I may use a lar e air compressor discharge serve the purpose of the valve shown. v Having carefully an'd fully descrlbed my invention to the best of my ability, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent. 1s

1. The method of producing raw water can ice which consists of supplying to a can a quantity of Water greater-than reproduced. therein, allowing a portion of sa1d water to flow away from the main body of water while still retaining it within the can then forcthem rectangular ing the portion which has [flown away into me in pre-cool- 10a 1o forcing the Call .a 'quired away from 'the main body of water and retainlng it below the surface thereof, then ortionwhich has flown away into the main body of water to obtain an agitation-thereof andfreezing said water.

3. The methodof produclng raw water can ice which consists of supplying to a r the ice to be. produced therein,

"allowing a-portion of said'water to be sepaaway into the main body of Water to obtain rated and flow away from the-rnain body of water retaming' all of the separated water within thenon-freezing zone within the can,

then forcing that portion which has flown reduced therein, allowing a portion of sand water-to flow tpuantity ofwater greater than re- 5 an agitation thereof and' rernoving suflicient heat from said water to produce ice in said can;

4.. The method of producing raw water can ice WhlCh consists of supplying .to a i can a quantity of water grea er than that required in the production of t e ice, allowing a portion of said water to flow away from the main body at atmospheric ressure and retainin it within the nonzing zone; then su jecting said separated water to a pressure of air above the atmospheric pressure thus forcing it into the body of water in'the can at a velocity which will cause agitation and freezing said water.

Signed at the city'of St. Louis, Stateof Missouri, this 21st day of June, 1915, in the presence of these two witnesses.

GEORGE M. KLEUCKER.

Witnesses:

Amnn'r BAUM, WM. 'A. Kznmncx.- 

